Patients May Shun Clinics Over Mandatory Covid Tests

Forcing patients with respiratory symptoms to undergo Covid-19 tests could put people off visiting their doctor altogether, a medical expert warned on Monday.

The head of the Medical Association, Choi Kin, said those who feel only slightly unwell might avoid seeking treatment, while making those who do visit clinics take the test could damage the trust between doctors and patients.

The government recently said it was looking at expanding the scope of mandatory coronavirus testing, and University of Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung, a government adviser on the pandemic, suggested that people with even mild respiratory symptoms should be candidates for this.

But Choi told a radio programme that such a move would likely backfire due to resistance from the public.

He said in most instances, patients with symptoms probably don't have Covid-19, and tests at private clinics in Hong Kong up until now found that only around eight patients in 1,000 were infected.

Choi also said that any requirement for doctors to call the police if a patient refused a test would go against medical ethics.

"We are not supposed to reveal the patients' problems to the authorities, unless in some specific circumstances, such as child abuse," he said.

He added that being as Covid-19 has a wide range of symptoms that are similar to those of other illnesses, if the government does introduce such mandatory testing then it should clearly state which symptoms would trigger a test.